Saturday

Chelsea FC Makes Decision on Mikel Obi's Future at the Club

Chelsea are poised to tell Mikel John Obi that this is his last
season at Stamford Bridge after a decade at the club. Mikel’s contract
expires in the summer and sources at the club have told Standard Sport
they will not be giving him a new one.

The 29-year-old midfielder, who joined from Lyn Oslo in 2006, has not
been in a matchday squad this term. He was able to work under Antonio
Conte for only a week during pre-season because he was with Nigeria at
the Rio Olympics.

Since returning in late August, Mikel has fallen behind Nemanja
Matic, N’Golo Kante, Nathaniel Chalobah and Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the
pecking order and is not a part of Conte’s plans.

Conte revealed that Mikel had been out with a minor injury in
September but he has not been recalled since resuming training last
month. Mikel will be able to talk to foreign clubs in January over a
free transfer in the summer but he could leave in the new year if a club
make a bid.

That would bring the curtain down on a career at Chelsea spanning 378 appearances.